From the Editor: No Place Like Home

By Jeanne Craig

Photograph by Bob Capazzo

One of the best things about starting a job is getting to know your new colleagues. That process is even more enjoyable when you discover the things you have in common. Diane Sembrot and I had our “Aha!” moment when we learned we both like to run.

Diane is the hardworking pro who has done such a great job editing this magazine. Recently, that opportunity was given to me so Diane can take on other projects in the company. She was just a few doors away as I went to work on this, my first issue. During one of our conversations, she told me about a jogging route she’s fond of in Rowayton, where I live with my family.

I ran her course one Saturday morning and learned a few things. First, my coworker has impressive stamina, not only as an editor but as an athlete, because I had to huff and puff and sweat my way up a series of steep, although scenic, hills. Second, I was reminded that one of the unsung benefits of jogging is the opportunity it presents to just get out and enjoy your neighborhood on foot.

There’s a lot to appreciate about the towns covered in this magazine. That’s become even more apparent to me since I recently moved back to this area after a few years in Florida. Work commitments took my family south, where the weather was mild and the beaches were incredible, but we never stopped missing our home in Rowayton, or our family and friends. Now, through my work with Moffly Media, I’m looking forward to meeting many more of the interesting people who live here. It will be a privilege for me to cover your stories.

While on the subject of you, let me say thanks for participating in our Best of the Gold Coast Connecticut contest. We received more than 20,000 votes in our online poll, which makes this year’s the biggest yet. In this issue you’ll find a complete listing of your favorite places for food, fashion, fun, fitness and more.It’s the ultimate go-to guide for the best in Fairfield County.

In keeping with the Best Of theme, this issue also has a feature on the Philip Johnson Glass House in New Canaan. While you may be familiar with the iconic buildings on the property, this back story on the architect’s obsession with landscape design will inspire those who have ambitions to create their own outdoor idyll. As writer Suzanne Gannon reports, Johnson believed that a great outdoor vista was not the result of adding elements but, rather, of careful editing.

Less, it seems, really can be more. That’s a solid philosophy to embrace now that the long (and long-awaited) days of summer are finally here. It’s time to kick back and enjoy the simpler, slower pace of the season. I can’t think of a better place to do that than here.